


Destiny of Peace

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Series: OQPromptParty 2017 [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Infertility
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-19 16:33:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11901720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: "I would love nothing more than to give you an entire house filled with the love and laughter that children bring," he admits and she feels the sincerity of his words in the deepest parts of her heart.





	Destiny of Peace

**Author's Note:**

> Date Written: 24 August 2017  
> Word Count: 2178  
> Written for: [](http://oqpromptparty.tumblr.com)[](http://oqpromptparty.tumblr.com)**oqpromptparty** 2017 - Day 4  
>  Prompts: 79, 85, 185, & 187  
> Summary: "I would love nothing more than to give you an entire house filled with the love and laughter that children bring," he admits and she feels the sincerity of his words in the deepest parts of her heart.  
> Spoilers: Canon divergent AU set post-Underworld where Robin doesn't die and Regina never splits herself in half. Everything we know of these characters up to that point is up for grabs though.  
> Warnings: No standard warnings apply. Some discussion of infertility.  
> Website: ShatterStorm Productions – Doggie Duo  
> Link to: <http://bdkk.shatterstorm.net/>  
> Archive: ShatterStorm Productions & AO3 only…all others ask for permission & we'll see…  
> Feedback: Constructive criticism is always welcome.
> 
> Author’s Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Kitsis/Horowitz, and ABC Studios. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Once Upon a Time," ABC, or any representatives of the actors.
> 
> Author’s Notes: This was supposed to have a lot more angst, I think, as certain muses in my head wanted to really delve into the whole situation behind Regina's infertility and how it's affected her over the years, particularly now with her and Robin married and building their family. And yet, I think I hit just enough of a balance of angst and fluff here to make it worthwhile. I just couldn't put _that_ much angst in the middle of this otherwise sweet little fic. And for the record, I am not an expert on adoptions, so any errors can be blamed on what we saw happen in canon with Regina adopting Henry, as that's what I used for my information here. In fact, Mr. Dugan is kind of based on that gentleman that Regina spoke to in adopting Henry.
> 
> Prompts used:  
> 79\. OQ’s first baby.
> 
> 85\. Regina tells Robin that she’s infertile.
> 
> 185\. Outlaw queen adopting a baby
> 
> 187\. Robin telling Regina he can’t have children.
> 
> Dedication: My muses, as usual...
> 
> Beta: None, but concrit is always good…

"Regina?"

She hears his voice before the door even opens, tensing against whatever he's about to say, hoping it won't ruin everything that's just happened. And then the door's open, slamming against the wall behind it loud enough to make her jump and nearly drop--

"Regina, I'm so sorry," he says, regret lacing each word until she feels she'll drown in it. And then his gaze drops to her arms at the soft sound. The transformation on his face is instantaneous and powerful. "Is that--?"

Regina nods, tears prickling in her eyes again, exhaustion chasing dark spots at the edges of her vision. "You're late," she whispers, but smiles brightly at him. "Close the door and come here."

Without hesitation, Robin does as she asks, sinking down on the couch next to her. All sense of bravado and confidence are absent as his eyes search hers for a long moment before dropping again. "Where--?"

"Answering a call in the next office over," she replies huskily. "He tried to wait for you to get here first, but he said the call was important. He should be back in just a moment or two. So that means I get to do the honors here. Are you ready?" He nods slowly, and she fights the urge to laugh at how nervous he is. "All right, take off your jacket first."

The heavy leather jacket is shrugged off almost on autopilot as his eyes keep returning to the tiny bundle in her arms. "May I?" he asks softly and gestures to the thin white blanket. When she nods, he echoes the motion and pulls back a corner to get a better look at the sleepy little face within.

Regina finds herself caught up in his expression and wishes she could take a picture to preserve this moment for eternity. And then a better idea comes to mind. "Would you like to hold her, Papa?"

His eyes go round, whether at her question or the moniker she's not sure. "I don't-- I-- Can I?"

"Of course, you can, Robin. She's your daughter, too, isn't she?"

"Yes, but--"

"But nothing," Regina says, cutting him off. "Get comfortable." When he settles into the corner of the couch more, she shifts to settle the tiny, swaddled baby in his arms. "Be careful of her head." She pulls out her phone, taking a couple of pictures of Robin and the baby bonding for the first time.

Robin nods, swallowing audibly as he cradles the sleeping infant closer. Regina can see the glimmer of tears in his eyes when he looks up at her again, a hopeful expression on his face. "She's ours? Truly, Regina?"

Regina nods and strokes his cheek, phone forgotten again. "All that's left is the final signatures and determining her name. Once those are complete, we can take our little princess home to meet her brothers."

"And her sister." The words are out of his mouth before either of them fully realizes what he's said. "I-I'm sorry, Regina."

"Don't be," she whispers, swallowing her own tears. "We've talked about this, remember?"

"I know." He grows silent for a moment, leaning in to press a tender kiss to the baby's forehead before whispering softly, "Hello, my little princess. I'm your papa and I already love you so much that my heart aches with it."

As Regina watches her husband bond with their new daughter, she remembers the conversation that brought them to this place.

~~*~~ 6 months earlier ~~*~~

"Papa?"

"Yes, Roland, my boy?"

"Now that you and Gina are married, will I get a new brother or sister?"

The blood drains from Regina's face at his innocent question, and she keeps her back to him as she continues to make breakfast for her husband and their sons. Her back is ramrod straight and she struggles to keep her breathing as normal as possible, but she wants nothing more than to run out of the room.

"You already have Henry and little Robyn, son," Robin replies, and she can feel his eyes on her back.

"I know, but you and Mama had me, and you and Zelena had Robyn, and Gina has Henry. Shouldn't you and Gina have a baby, too?"

Turning off the burner, Regina sets the pan aside and stumbles as she races from the room. The tears burn in her eyes, but she doesn't pay them any heed until she can get somewhere private to wallow in her grief. She finds herself in the laundry room of all places, and shuts the door to sink to the floor and cry as silently as she can. If she'd learned nothing else growing up under Cora's thumb, it's that vocally crying only gets you more punishment.

She's not sure how long she sits there, shoulders shaking as her tears soak into the knees of her pajama pants, so the knock at the door startles her enough to emit a soft shriek. When the door opens to reveal her husband's worried face, all she can do is stare at him dumbly. He glances back over his shoulder once, and she hears the front door close before he steps into the room to crouch in front of her.

"Regina?" he asks softly, fingers barely touching her cheeks as he wipes at her tears. "What just happened, love?" She shakes her head, unable to speak, and buries her face in her arms still resting on her knees. "Henry's taken Roland to Granny's for breakfast so you and I can talk. Why don't we go into the den or upstairs to our room?"

"D-Den," she stammers out, forcing herself to meet his gentle gaze.

"All right, the den it is." He stands and offers her a hand up, which she takes gratefully, then kisses her lips briefly. "Come on, love."

She follows him into the den, still sobbing, and curls up in the corner of the couch, knees tight to her chest again. Robin sits next to her, fingers carding through her hair, and simply waits for her to begin speaking.

"Is-- Did I upset Roland?" she finally whispers.

"I think he's more confused than anything else. Henry seemed to understand that and felt it would best if they have a brother bonding day to give you some space."

"I didn't mean to upset him."

"I know you didn't, sweetheart." He leans in to press his lips to her temple. "Do you want to tell me what happened in there?"

Regina swallows thickly and takes half a dozen deep breaths before she lifts her gaze to meet his. "Roland wants us to have a baby." The confusion darkening his eyes spurs her on, her own eyes fluttering shut at her admission. "Robin, I'm-- I can't have a baby. I'm physically incapable. And now Roland wants--"

"Roland doesn't know what he wants. Last night when he was in the bath, he said he wanted a pet shark. Now he wants a brother or sister. He's five, Regina."

"But--"

"No buts, Regina." Robin shifts to gently straighten her legs and pull her into his lap. She readily accepts the comfort he offers, burying her face in the side of his neck, inhaling the scent of rosemary and _Robin_ deep into her lungs. "Roland will likely change his mind by the end of the day and want a puppy or extra whipped cream on his ice cream sundae."

"I hate disappointing him."

Robin chuckles softly, rubbing her back. "You won't disappoint him, love. He worships the ground you walk on, almost more than I do. And he does have both Henry and little Robyn already." He drops a kiss to her hair. "And even if you were able to, I wouldn't be able to give you a child."

She pulls back to stare at him then. "Wh-What are you saying, Robin?"

"Not long after Roland was born," he says, then pauses to lick his lips, eyes going distant for a bit. "There was an accident. A horse spooked during a raid and I was a bit… _trampled_. I was told not to expect any brothers or sisters for Roland."

"And Robyn?"

He lets out a low, disbelieving laugh. "Oh, I've no doubt she's mine. She has my mother's nose. But I have no idea what kind of sorcery Zelena used to ensure that I would be able to father a child after so many years of not being able to."

"I'm so sorry, Robin."

"So you see, Regina," he says with a small smile, "I can no more given Roland what he wants than you can. I don't regret that Robyn is here, regardless of the issues we both have with her conception. I love her as much as I love Roland, as much as I've come to love Henry like a son."

Regina shifts to kiss him, just needing the reassurance of his love. Long moments pass as the newlyweds lose themselves in reaffirming kisses and gentle touches. When he rests his forehead against hers, she studies the flecks of color in his eyes.

"Robin? If…" She pauses then, trying to get the words past the lump in her throat. "If we didn't have our issues with fertility, would you want to have a child with me?"

"I would love nothing more than to give you an entire house filled with the love and laughter that children bring," he admits and she feels the sincerity of his words in the deepest parts of her heart. "I see how you are with Roland and Robyn, and I've heard the stories of you and Henry. You are made to be a mother, Regina, and I will do whatever it takes to give you that opportunity again if that's what you want."

~~*~~ present ~~*~~

A slow smile spreads across Regina's at the sound of Robin softly singing to their daughter, and she picks up her camera to record a video. He grins sheepishly at her when he realizes what she's doing.

"Regina!"

"I couldn't help myself," she says as she ends the recording. "You look so happy holding her."

"I feel at peace. Is that odd?" He glances at the baby again. "I felt this way when I held Roland for the first time. Well, after the overwhelming fear that I'd drop him. I think I felt it with Robyn, too. There's something about holding a tiny baby in your arms, knowing that you're going to be the one to love and protect him or her until the day you die."

She nods and rests a hand on the baby's belly. "I think I felt that same way with Henry. I knew that my life would never be the same."

"We need a name, Regina, before Mr. Dugan comes back. I don't want any more delays than necessary before we can take our little princess home."

"Dove." The word is out of her mouth before the thought even finishes forming, and then she bites her bottom lip nervously. "I thought maybe we could go with the idea of peace like you mentioned and the dove is a bird of peace, plus your arrows have feathers…"

Robin smiles brightly and looks down at the baby. "Dove Mills-Hood." At his words, tiny dark lashes flutter open to reveal blue eyes so like Robin's own as she yawns. He sucks in a breath at the sight, tears filling his own eyes. "Look at her, Regina. Look at our Dove. She's so beautiful."

"She's the most beautiful little girl in the world," Regina replies, stroking the downy cheek.

Before they know it, Jim Dugan is coming back into his office. The man nods to both of them as he settles at his desk and glances over the paperwork again. "My apologies for taking so long." He grins at the sight of Robin holding the baby. "She looks good in your arms, Mr. Hood."

"She feels like home," Robin replies softly, eyes drifting back down to her little face.

"Well, let's finish up this paperwork and you can take…" He pauses at that. "Well, she needs a name before she can go home with you."

"Dove," Regina says.

"Moira," Robin interjects, making Regina turn to look at him in confusion. "It was my mother's name, and it means destiny."

Tears prick in Regina's eyes again at his explanation and she turns to smile at Dugan. "Dove Moira Mills-Hood. That's our daughter's name."

Dugan jots a few things down on the paperwork, then turns it around, indicating where Regina and Robin need to sign. Regina does so first, then gathers Dove into her arms so Robin can add his own signature. And then he's shaking Dugan's hand and helping Regina to stand. She's reluctant to let go of their daughter, until she remembers that Dove is theirs now, hers and Robin's, and Henry's, and Roland's.

Settling the baby into the carrier, she whispers into the dainty shell of her daughter's ear, "Welcome to the family, Dove. May your destiny guide you toward the peace that you've already brought me and your papa."


End file.
